A preventive maintenance (PM) plan lists your important assets, the checks each one needs, how often, and who does them, with a record that proves the work was done. Build it from the manufacturers’ manuals, adjust it for Saudi heat and dust, and track two numbers: PM compliance and time to close. A spreadsheet and a WhatsApp group can carry one site, but CMMS software (a computerized maintenance management system) becomes worth it once you run several branches and technicians.
Step 1: List your assets and rank them by criticality
You do not need a plan for every chair. Start with the assets that stop sales, put people at risk or cost the most to replace.
| Criticality | What it means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| A: critical | Failure stops sales, puts safety at risk or breaks a legal requirement | Walk-in chiller in a restaurant, standby generator in a clinic, fire extinguishers in every branch |
| B: important | Failure hurts comfort or slows work, but there is a workaround | Classroom AC in a private school, second espresso machine in a café |
| C: run to failure | Cheap, or quick to replace | Desk fans, kettles, office chairs |
Plan the A assets first, then the B assets. C assets stay on the register without a PM plan. You repair or replace them when they fail.
If your asset list is still a spreadsheet, tag the A and B assets with QR labels first. Our guide to QR, barcode and RFID tags explains which label survives a kitchen or a rooftop.
Step 2: Take frequencies from the manuals, then adjust for heat
The manufacturer’s manual is your baseline. For generators, NFPA 110 guidance says maintenance and testing must follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and manuals as well as the standard’s minimum requirements (Minnesota Department of Health). Saudi Civil Defense takes the same approach for fire protection equipment: periodic inspection and testing depend on the manufacturer’s instructions and Civil Defense requirements (Saudi Civil Defense).
Then adjust for the climate. The National Center for Meteorology recorded 51.3°C at Al-Ahsa in July 2024 (Okaz). AC condensers, fridge condensers and generator radiators work hardest in exactly the months when dust and sand clog them. Where a manual gives a range, start at the short end for the summer. LG, for example, recommends cleaning split AC filters every two weeks during heavy summer use (LG).
For a ready structure, EXPRO’s National Manual of Assets and Facilities Management has a maintenance management volume with a preventive maintenance schedule checklist and a procedure for developing a maintenance plan (EXPRO).
Step 3: Write short checklists
Keep each checklist to what one technician can finish in one visit. Every line should be a pass or fail, or a reading. Ask for a photo before and after.
Split and package AC units
- Clean or replace the filters.
- Check the condensate drain and drain pan for blockage and leaks.
- Clean the outdoor coil, straighten bent fins and clear debris around the unit.
- Check the fan for noise and vibration.
- Measure supply air temperature and running current, and compare with the last visit.
- Check electrical connections and the pipe insulation exposed to sun.
Commercial fridges and cold rooms
- Record the cabinet temperature on arrival and compare it with the set point.
- Clean the condenser coil. True Manufacturing says every refrigerator needs regular coil maintenance, that grease build-up is inevitable in commercial kitchens, and that a clean coil can cut energy use by as much as 20% (True).
- Inspect the door gaskets for tears and check that the door seals.
- Check the evaporator for ice and clear the defrost drain.
- Look for oily spots on pipe joints, a common sign of a refrigerant leak.
- Move boxes that block air around the condenser.
Standby generators
NFPA 110 guidance calls for a weekly inspection and, for diesel sets, a monthly run under load for at least 30 minutes, at a load that reaches the manufacturer’s minimum exhaust temperature (Minnesota Department of Health).
- Weekly: fuel level, oil level, coolant level, battery and charger, belts and hoses, leaks.
- Monthly: the load run, with run hours, oil pressure and temperature recorded.
- Keep the radiator and air intake clear of sand and dust.
- Log any fault and the corrective action, with parts replaced.
Fire extinguishers
In Saudi Arabia, portable extinguishers are maintained by an approved agent or a technical body accredited by Civil Defense, following the manufacturer’s instructions, and the building owner or operator is responsible for arranging it (Saudi Civil Defense). Between contractor visits, add a monthly visual check by your own staff. US OSHA rules, for comparison, require a monthly visual inspection and annual maintenance (J. J. Keller).
- The extinguisher is in its place, visible and not blocked.
- The pressure gauge needle is in the green zone.
- The safety pin and tamper seal are intact.
- No dents, corrosion or cracked hose.
- The contractor’s service tag is present and in date.
Summary of starting frequencies
| Asset | Starting frequency | Done by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split AC filters | Every 2 weeks in heavy summer use | Branch staff or technician | LG |
| AC professional inspection | Once a year | HVAC technician | TCL |
| Fridge condenser coil | Regularly, per the manual; more often in greasy kitchens | Technician | True |
| Diesel generator | Weekly inspection; monthly run under load for 30 minutes | Technician | Minnesota Department of Health |
| Fire extinguishers | Maintenance per manufacturer and Civil Defense instructions; monthly visual check in-house | Approved contractor; branch staff | Saudi Civil Defense, J. J. Keller |
Step 4: Assign technicians and due windows
- Name one person per plan. “The maintenance team” is nobody. Each plan has one technician, even if others can cover.
- Group work by branch. A technician covering three branches in Riyadh should do all the PMs for one branch on the same day.
- Create the work order before it is due. A few days of lead time lets the technician order filters or gaskets before the visit.
- Treat contractors like technicians. Record the fire safety contractor’s visit as a work order and attach their report.
- Write checklists for the people who use them. Many technicians are expats. Keep lines short, in Arabic and English, and ask for photos rather than long notes.
A facility management contractor can use the same structure per client site, and the closed work orders become the client’s monthly report.
Step 5: Track PM compliance and time to close
PM compliance is the share of scheduled PMs completed on time: PMs completed on time ÷ PMs scheduled × 100. A common rule of thumb allows a grace period of 10% of the interval, so a monthly PM done within about three days of its due date still counts. Below 80% is usually a warning sign, and 90% or more points to a stable schedule (MaintainX).
Time to close is the time from a fault report to the closed work order. Track it by priority and by branch, and use the median, so one job stuck waiting for a part does not hide how the rest are going.
Review both every week. Also watch for repeat faults: if the same fridge appears three times in a quarter, the root cause field on those work orders will tell you whether to repair it again or replace it.
When CMMS software beats spreadsheets and WhatsApp groups
| Task | Spreadsheet and WhatsApp | CMMS software |
|---|---|---|
| Knowing what is due this week | Someone filters the sheet by hand | Work orders are created on schedule, with a reminder |
| Reporting a fault | A message in a group that scrolls away | A report tied to the asset, turned into a work order |
| Proving work was done | Photos lost in a chat | Checklist, photos, parts and cost on the asset’s history |
| PM compliance and time to close | Counted by hand, if at all | Calculated from dates |
| A technician leaves | Their knowledge leaves with their phone | The history stays with the asset |
It is time to switch when you have more than one branch or technician, when you discover a missed PM only after the breakdown, or when a client or auditor asks for proof you cannot produce in an hour. The asset management software checklist lists what to ask vendors.
In Usool, a preventive plan holds the checklist and the frequency, creates the work order on time and reminds the technician. Staff report faults by scanning the asset’s QR label with a phone camera. See the features page for the rest.
FAQ
What does CMMS stand for?
Computerized maintenance management system. It is software that keeps your asset list, fault reports, work orders, preventive maintenance schedules and spare parts in one place. You will also see it called maintenance management software.
How much does CMMS software cost?
International tools often charge per user. MaintainX, for example, lists $20 to $25 per user per month for its Essential plan (MaintainX). Usool uses flat monthly tiers of SAR 150, 375 or 750 before VAT, listed on the pricing section.
How often should AC units be serviced in Saudi Arabia?
Follow the manual and start at the short end in summer. LG recommends cleaning split AC filters every two weeks during heavy summer use (LG), and TCL suggests a professional inspection every year (TCL).
Who must maintain fire extinguishers in Saudi Arabia?
An approved agent or a technical body accredited by Civil Defense, following the manufacturer’s instructions. The building owner or operator is responsible for arranging it (Saudi Civil Defense). Our guide to fire extinguisher maintenance requirements covers the monthly check and the records to keep.
If you would like to turn your plan into scheduled work orders this week, you can try Usool free for 14 days, with every Growth feature and no card. Start with your A-critical assets in one branch and see whether the reminders reach your technicians.